Feeler mechanism for looms



I. SNOW.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT 7, l9l9.

Patented Aug. 9, 192 1.

V ISAAC SNOW,

entree stares;

[PAT FH E-f or HOPED-ALE, massaonusn'r'rs', A oonronnrion or MAINE, j

rnnnnn MECHANISM non nooivis;

- Application filed October 7,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IsAAo Snow, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Lawrence, county of Essex, and State of r the runningcondition of the loom is effected 'ciated with the present invention are,not ,shown, becausethese parts may be of usual prior to completeexhaustion of the filling in the running shuttle.

The object of the present invention is to provide a feeler mechanism ofthe side swipe type which shall be simple in construction and effectiveand sensitive in operation. To these ends, one of the features of thepresent invention consists of a feeler which is held in its backwardlyextending feeling position by spring means, and which spring means istensioned by frontward movement of the feeler, thereby tending to movethe feeler longitudinally of the shuttle as it moves frontwardly on adetectingbeat. Other features and novel combinations of parts will behereinafter described in addition to the above and in connection withthe accompanying drawings -which form one good practical form of theinvention, and the novel features thereof will then be described in theclaims. y

ln the drawing: I 1

Figure 1 is a perspective view'of the detecting side of the loomshowingthe feeler mechanism'which constitutes the present invention and itsassociated parts i 2 Fig.2 is an enlarged plan view showing the actionof the feeler mechanism whcnthe filling is substantially exhausted; I v

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2 showing the feeler in itsnormal or rearward positiomand the relation of the associated parts.

In. the drawing the filling replenishing mechanism and otherportions ofthe loom construction which are not intimately assoconstruction and arewell known in the art.

filling carrier .or bobbin 13 on which the Specification of LettersPatent. Patented Aug, 9,1921,

1919. Serial No. 328,979.

or LAWRENCE, ranssnonusnr'rs, ASSIGNOR T0 nnnrna oonronn'rron,

The loom frame '1 has secured thereto the if brackets 2, one at eachside of the loom, in

which is mounted the usual transverse or rock shaft 3 from whichrisesthe finger l having pivoted thereto at 5 the latch 6, the rear endportion-7 of which is 'adaptedfiat times to be engaged by anoperatingmem her 8. The operating member S-may be any suitable movingpart of the loom timedproperly to effect replenishment when the shuttleis at the filling replenishing side of the loom, and. in the presentinstance, is indicated as a part connected to the cam follower. Z V.

The lay has mounted: thereonthe vusual shuttle-box 9, the front wall ofwhich, is slotted at 10fto register with the slot 11 of the shuttle 12when the latter, is inithe detecting-box. The shuttle '12 carries theusual fillingis wound. The parts sofar described are or may be of usualconstruction common in feeler looms. K -i The shipper stand 14 hasextending therefrom the bracket 15 slotted at 16, andto the slottedportion of the arm 15 is adjustably secured the bracket by means ofthebolt 18 or other form of securing means. Adjustably secured to the.bracket 17 islthe feeler, stand 18. which may be connected to thebracket by the screws 19 'passing through a slot in the feeler stand asindicated in Fig.

1 to permit adjustment of the feeler stand toward and from the rearofthe loom, j

Mounted for movement toward and. from the rear ofthelloom on the feelerstand 18 is the slide or carrier-20 ,which may be guided for itsreciprocating movement by suitable means, such, for instance, as theslotted flange 21 rising from therear' portion ofthe. feeler stand, anda guide 22extending ,upwardlyfl from the feeler standIand engaging aslot 23 I v longitudinally'of the slide or carrier 20, the

construction being such that as the carrier or slide 20 is mov edtowardand from the front of the loom,'it shall be guided for suchmovement.Pivotally mounted upon the carrier at 24 is [the feeler 25, the rear endportion of which is provided with teeth 26 for engage mentwiththesurface, withinthe shuttle on 'a detecting beat. The feeler 25' is thus.mounted upon the carrier for swinging movement about its pivotalconnection there- 7 with, and suitable means.'is providedffor limitingthe swinging movement of the feeler. In the present instance, the feelerhas secured thereto at its forward end portion a stop member 25 thedownturned ends 26 or" which are adapted to engage the side of thecarrier 20 and thereby limit the'swinging movement of the teeler.

It is desirable that the teeler and its connected slide shall be heldnormally in rearward position to permit the feeler to enter the shuttleand detect the condition of filling therein, and when the feeler ismoved frontwardly on a detecting beat, it should be subjected to a forcetending to move it or swing it about its pivotal connection with thecarrier in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle. To this end theteeler is connected with a yielding element which normally tends to holdthe feeler yieldingly in its rearward position, and is placed understress by the frontward movement of the feeler on a detecting beat,tending to give the teeler a movement longitudinally of the shuttle.

In the present instance, the feeler stand has extending laterallytherefrom the arm 27 having an upstanding flange 28 provided with aseries of openings 29, and two springs '30 and 31 are connected to thefeeler at opposite sides of its pivotal connection 24 with the feelercarrier, and converge laterally from the teeler carrier and areconnected at their outer ends 32 with the flange 23 of the arm 27. Thedirection of pull of the two springs 30 and 31 is such that when the layis its rearward position, they act through the feeler to move the feelerand carrier 20 rearwardly to pesentthe feeler in its rearward feelingposition as indicated in Fig. 1.

When, however, the teeler is moved frontwardly on, a detecting beat, thetension of the spring 31 is increased over that 01"- the spring 30 to anamount sutlicient to impart a tendency to the feeler 25 to movement indirection longitudinally of the shuttle. In order that the relativeaction of the springs 30 and 31 may be properly adjusted to secure thefunctional o-perationstated, the feeler 25 is provided with the holes 33and 34 by which the ends of the springs 30 and 31 which are connected tothe feeler at opposite sides ofits pivotal connection 24 with thefeeler'carrier may be adjusted.

In order to limit the rearward movement of the feeler carrier and.teeler, the feeler may be provided with a stop or shoulder35, which,when the feeler is in its rearward position, engages the flange 21. 1

When a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle on adetecting beat, the

toothed rear end 26 of the teeler engages and sinks into the filling,and as the lay icon- I tinues frontwardly, the teeler member and carrier20 are pushed frontwardly, thus increasing the tension of the spring 31and decreasing the tension of the spring 30 and end 26 of the feelerengaging the filling.

then, however, the filling has become substantially exhausted and thereis no longer sufiicient filling to resist the tendency of the spring 31to move the feeler in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle on adetecting beat, the toothed end 26 of the feeler will slip along thesurface within the shuttle as the feeler and carrier are pushedfrontwardly on a detecting beat.

The present invention contemplates that this movement of the feeler in adirection longitudinally of the shuttle which indicates substantialexhaustion of filling may be utilized to act through a train ofmechanism to effect replenishment of filling. In the present instance, alever 36 is pivotally mounted at a fixed point preferably on the feelerstand 18 at 37, and its rear end portion 38 bears against the i'eeler 25under the impulse of a spring 39, one end of which is connected to thelever 36 at 40, and the other end to a fixed point at 41. The front endportion of the lever 36, in the present instance, is connected at 42with a transmitter 43 which is connected at its other end to a lever 44pivoted at 45 to a stand 46 rising from the loom frame. The lever 44 hasa finger portion 47 underlying the latch 6, the construction being suchthat when the iteeler is moved in a direction longitudinally of theshuttle due to substantial exhaustion of filling on a detecting beat,the end 7 of the latch 6 will he placed in operative relation with theoperating member 8, andfilling replenishment will be effected.

What is claimed is z- 1. ln'a feeler mechanism for looms, thecombination of a teeler stand, a feeler carrier mounted on the stand formovement toward and from the front of the loom, a teeler pivotallyconnected to the teeler car-- rier, two springs one connected to theiteeler rearwardly or" its pivotal connection with the feeler carrier,and the other connected to the feeler trontwardly of its pivotalconnection with the carrier, and normally acting to hold the feeler andfeeler carrier rearwardly in feeling position, and having their relativetensions changed to cause movement of the feeler in a directionlongitudinally of the shuttle when'the filling is substantiallyexhausted on a'detecting beat, and meansactuated by movement of thefeeler longitudinally of the shuttle to efi'ect replenishment offilling.

2. in combination of a feeler carrier mounted for movement toward andfrom the trontof the loom, a feeler pivotally connectedbetween its endsto the feeler carrier, a spring connected to the teeler at one side ofits pivotal connection with the feeler carrier, a spring connected tothe feeler at the other side of its pivotal connection with the feelercarrier, said springs normally acting by their relative tension toholdthe feeler and carrier in rearward feeling position and tending to movethe feeler in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle when the feelercarrier is moved frontwardly by the surface within the shuttle on adetecting beat.

3. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination of a feeler carrier mounted independently of the lay, afeeler connected to the carrier for movement in a directionlongitudinally of the shuttle, and held from such movementlongitudinally of the shuttle by engagement wlth the filling on adetecting beat until substantial exhaustion thereof, two springs whichact upon the feeler in a direction inclined to the longitudinal axisment in a direction longitudinally of theshuttle, and held from suchmovement longitudinally of the shuttle by engagement with the filling ona detecting beat until substantial exhaustionthereof, spring meansacting laterally upon the feeler to maintain the feeler and carrier inrearward feeling position, and tensioned by the frontward movement ofthe feeler under the frontward push of a surface within the shuttle on adetecting beat to place such feeler under a tendency to movelongitudinally of the shuttle as the feeler moves frontwardly, and stopsfor limiting the movement of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle.

5. In a feeler mechanism for looms the combination of a feeler carrier,a feeler connected thereto for movement longitudinally of the shuttleand held from such movement by engagement with the filling untilsubstantial exhaustion thereof on a detecting beat, two springs, oneconnected to the feeler and acting diagonally in a rearward directionthereon, and the other connected to the feeler and actingfdiagonally ina frontward direction thereon to normally maintain the feeler in itsrearward feeling position and having their relative tensions changed byfrontward movement of the feeler to effect movement thereof in'adirection longitudi-' nally of the shuttle whenthe filling issubstantially exhausted on a detecting beat;

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms the combination of a feeler mountedindepend-v ently of the lay for movement toward and fromthe front of theloom and longitudinally of the shuttle, spring means tensioned bymovement of the feeler toward the front of the loom to urge the feelerlongitudinally of the shuttle, means for effecting replenish- ,ment offilling upon movement of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle, andspring means tensioned by movement of the feeler toward the rear of theloom to move the feeler laterally to its normal feeling position.

7. In a feeler mechanism. for looms the combination of a feelersupported independently of the lay for movement toward and from thefront of the 100m, and mounted for movement in a directionlongitudinally of the shuttle but held from such movement by engagementwith the filling until substantial nected to the feeler at differentpoints in its length, the tension of one being'increased and the otherdecreased by frontward movement of the feeler.

8. In a feeler mechanism'for looms, the

combination [of a feeler carrier mounted on a fixed part of the loom'formovement toan angle to 'each other to efiecta normally resultant forceto hold the feeler carrier in its rearward position and the feeler 'inits feeling position and tensioned by the frontward movement of thefeeler to exert a resultant force upon the feeler tending to move it ina direction longitudinally of the shuttle.

In testimony name to this specification.

whereof, I have signed my ISAAC SNOW;

